The new year is just upon us and we all are set to bid farewell to the year 2015 and welcome the year 2016. I am sure you all are thinking and writing your new year resolutions. I have already begun with it. The list is increasing and I believe I would be following those and will achieve what I aim for.
For all those who mischievously say that resolutions are meant to be broken and people don’t follow them should meet the ones who actually believe in making resolutions and following them. Trust me, there are lot many people who genuinely make their resolutions not only on the yearly basis but every now and then.
However, the beginning of a new year is marked with the resolutions that one decides to follow in the upcoming year for the betterment in the professional or personal sphere.
For our designer and developer friends who are making their list of resolutions and wish to add more to their list to enhance their productive skills here we have come up with the list of New Year resolutions for them. Here they are!
1. Update your Portfolio
Now a days, we all have our websites where we display our work to reach the potential clients, but then it is not always that we give it a facelift. New Year is the best time to refresh your website and upgrade it to attract more clients followed by more work. Make sure it creates a lasting impression on the viewers, and provides the best possible information that clients might want to know.
2. Events / Conferences
There are lot many events and conferences that are being held in various parts of the world. Soon we will be coming up with the list of events that all you designers and developers should attend. I understand how difficult it is to manage and take out time out of the tight schedule. But then, the events and conferences are quite interesting and help improve the knowledge and make attendees learn a great deal.
3. Start a Blog
If you don’t have a blog yet, how about making one where you share your work, tips, tools making others learn from you. Having a blog is surely going to make your online presence strong.
4. Strong Online Presence
This is followed by the previous point. There are various social networking sites which we suggest you all to sign up on to make your online presence strong. If you are already in there, increase the frequency of your updates. This will help you get known by a large audience. However, you need to maintain the balance between the time you spare on social networking websites and work.
5. Latest Technologies
Blessed are we to be the part of the era where there is so much of technological advancement. Making optimum use of the latest technologies is the smart way of working. Not just designers and developers infact each one of us should make the best of latest technology to ensure there is growth in terms of productivity.
6. Work in Collaboration
No matter how proficient one is in the work, working in collaboration always helps. It helps in expanding the horizon, learning new skills from each others, gain fresh perspectives, ideas and insights. For designers and developers it is a suggested resolution to work in collaboration.
7. Filter your Clients Data
It is not always that you get good clients. So, how about filtering the data and making the fresh list of clients you would want to work with further leaving the ones that have proved to be headaches in the past.
8. Learning from Past Mistakes
To err is human and each mistake makes us learn something. We all make mistakes, but successful ones are those who learn from the mistakes and move on. Think about the mistakes you have made in the year 2015 and promise yourself to amend those and move forward.
9. Find New Ways to Generate Income
If you feel you are not getting paid well for the hard work you are doing, its time you look for new ways of generating more income and add to your savings.
10. Learn Something New
Learning is a never ending process. Even you are proficient in your field, you should not boast of being the master, instead be open to learning. Learn, learn and learn! If you are starting to learn something, why not grab lifetime access to SitePoint Premium account that includes 1000s of developer and designer books & tutorials only for $44 rather than the normal price of $450.
11. Follow a Routine
This might sound monotonous, but then it is very important to follow a set routine. Especially if you are freelancing, it becomes more important to have a routine and follow it. A fixed routine will also help you to stay healthy.
12. Take a Vacation
In between work, don’t forget to treat yourself with a refreshing break. Take a vacation and when you are back, you are sure to get the best results as your mind will be refreshed.
Have more to add? Do so by dropping in your comments below. We would love to hear your say!